Never seen in a Grand Slam! Three moms are in the quarterfinals of the US Open, the irreducible Serena Williams, the resuscitated Victoria Azarenka and the forgotten Tsvetana Pironkova who sums up the affair well: “once you become a mother, you do not lose your tennis as per magic”.
–
On the road to the semifinals on Wednesday, they will be at best only two as Serena, in search of a 24th title in Major to equal Margaret Court’s record, will face Pironkova, whom absolutely no one has seen coming to. Flushing Meadows, where she made a flamboyant comeback after more than three years without tennis. Azarenka, she will face the Belgian Elise Mertens.
–
US Open
Australian controversy, German miracle, French feat: The Top 100 of the US Open (40-31)
–
09/08/2020 At 9:42 AM
–
They were nine mothers at the start of the tournament. Vera Zvonareva, Tatjana Maria, Kateryna Bondarenko, Patricia Maria Tig, Olga Govortsova and Kim Clijsters having been eliminated early. The latter was attempting a second comeback after the sensational one that succeeded in 2009 when she won the US Open more than two and a half years after taking a first retirement. The Belgian became the first mother to win a Major tournament since the Australian Evonne Goolagong at Wimbledon in 1980, in turn joining a very closed club in which is also Margaret Court.
–
Hit but not sunk, Serena rebelled to afford her 17th quarterback at Flushing
“Quest for an emotion”
“You have to be an exceptional person, have a level of play above everyone else to do what Clijsters did“, estimated our consultant Camille Pin.”Serena, Kim and Vika (Azarenka) have started a new era. But it’s still very complicated because tennis, with all these trips, the fact that we are alone on the court, requires a maximum of energy..”
–
All the more alone on the court, surrounded by empty stands, with the closed door imposed by the coronavirus, Williams like Azarenka draw their strength and an extra soul in the presence of their child never far away, even if they are too young to appreciate their performance.
–
Victoria Azarenka
Credit: Getty Images
“I never thought I would play mom. The best part of all this is knowing that one day your daughter will be able to say that she was there, whether she remembers it or not.. “, admitted Serena, who was pregnant with her daughter Olympia when she won her 23rd Grand Slam in Australia. Since then, she has lost four finals and is still running at 38 after the next one which would also have the flavor of a first, as a mother. “There is a quest for an emotion to be gained by being a mother, in front of her child“, underlined our other consultant Justine Hénin.
–
“I also hope that for my son it will be inspiring, that he sees that I am doing what I want and that I work very hard for it. I want to be an example for him“said Azarenka, 31 years old and in the midst of a sporting renaissance, victorious at the Cincinnati tournament after four years of famine.
–
Benefits of motherhood
But the Belarusian, mother of a little Leo born at the end of 2016, refuses to identify herself “like a mother on the court“. “I’m in the quarterfinals and I didn’t get there as a parent, I got there as a tennis player. Even though it’s amazing to be able to share this moment with my son.” “We are also women who have dreams, goals and passions“, she added, joining Serena Williams, for whom”more and more women are able to achieve their goals while assuming their role as mothers“.
–
Unlike her two rivals, Pironkova put away her rackets much longer, after Wimbledon 2017. She gave birth to Alexander in April 2018 and created a clothing line.
–
For her motherhood has had only benefits: “we no longer focus so much on ourselves, but on our child. I am much more organized. Mentally, I have more resistance. Physically, I know my body better.” “I’m just happy to play, without the pressure I was putting on myself before. It was almost a matter of life and death to win. Not anymore“, she continues. Alizé Cornet was able to verify this in the round of 16:”She plays more loosely. Maybe the key is to have a kid, maybe I’ll do it too“.
–
2h49 of brawl and twists: Cornet gave everything but ended up giving in
US Open
Highlights | Taro Daniel – Andrey Kuznetsov
–
09/25/2020 At 7:02 AM
–
US Open
Medvedev protected by the US Open? A Belgian player revives the controversy
–
09/16/2020 at 09:51
—
